CASEing JanTInk in the colors of Advent candles

This card is a CASE of my friend Janine Tinklenberg's awesome Reverse Masking Come to Bethlehem card.  I changed the colors (because we've already used Concord Crush with this set) and layout (just a bit), but the coolness is all JanTInk!  Makes me want to say YILM!

My friend Trina pointed out that the colors were perfect for Advent. I admit I didn't think of it myself...I merely liked the colors.

Stampin Addicts Technique Challenge 71 - Emboss Rewash

This is a fun variation on Emboss Resist that was presented by Shannon West at the Fort Worth Stampin' Up! Regionals. I even used the same stamp set she did.  I used MOJO Monday Sketch 160 (MOJO160) though. You are welcome to join us for the Technique Challenge...just click here.

Supplies
Watercolor cardstock
White Embossing Powder (it is more striking than clear)
Embossing buddy
Heat tool
Aquapainter
Versamark
Classic ink
1. Run your embossing buddy over your Watercolor paper.
2. Stamp your solid stamp with Versamark onto Watercolor paper.
3. Apply White embossing powder, shake off and heat fix.
4. Use your aquapainter to add color to the image in the fashion of the Watercolor Wash technique. You'll want the aquapainter to be pretty wet, and you'll wash the color over the entire piece of cardstock.
5. Drop bits of other colors or darker bits of the same color over the part you've Watercolor Washed while it is still wet.
6. Allow to dry.
7. Finish your card.

~My~ Favorite of the Stamp A Stack cards...

I love the simple Nordic homespun look of this card, and yes the layered snowflakes really pop.  Just a little white embossing powder and assembly make this a relatively easy Stamp A Stack option.

Tinsel Trouble

This is the first thing I've done with the new Stampin' Up! Tinsel that seemed up to par...I think a couple twists of tinsel and 1/4 inch grosgrain ribbon make a great quick card. I used the Platinum Shimmer Paint and a sponge dauber to stamp the silver snowflakes and used Marina Mist both regular and stamped off one time to create the background.  The sentiment finishes the card with two large flower punches under it.

Voted Most Popular of the Stamp A Stack #2 cards....

The Pacific Point and Old Olive Ornament card!  Inspired by Glenda Travelstead's "A Cute Christmas" ornaments card from Fort Worth Regionals, all I did was change to the ornament from Tags Til Christmas, make the color scheme Pacific Point and Old Olive and add a Pacific point strip on the inside of the card.

I think this will be a cute and easy but enjoyable card to make at Stamp A Stack!

Stamp A Stack #2 card possibility

This card uses the Sweet Snowglobe set with the snowman tag from Tags Til Christmas instead of the snowy scene for a quick Stamp A Stack card. Just add some Dazzling Diamonds and a snowflake.  The idea for a snowflake to cover the "To: From:" on this stamp was Glenda Travelstead's.

HUGE Clearance Rack Sale at Stampin' Up!

Beautiful Chocolate Chip (as low as $1.99 a roll) and Real Red Ribbons and a variety of retired papers and embellishments are available in Stampin' Up!'s Clearance Rack.
Red Polka Dot Ribbon-my favorite last Christmas http://www.stampinup.com/ECWeb/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=115608

Chocolate Chip Treat bags 5 for 99 cents-wow!
http://www.stampinup.com/ECWeb/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=115690

Click here for a link to the entire list: Clearance Rack

Stampin' Addicts Technique Challenge #70 (Tech70) Stamping with Fresh/Real Leaves

In order to stamp with leaves, I first went into the yard and gathered a variety of leaves in small sizes.  I tried a couple of different things since we didn't have the clear blocks the last time I stamped with leaves. Last time, I merely pressed the leaf into the inkpad and stamped it onto the cardstock each time.  This is certainly a fun way to accomplish leaf stamping...I just wanted to try it differently.

1. Choose the colors you'd like to use for each leaf and stick with those colors to make it easier to stamp again with the same leaf.
2. Adhere the fresh pliable leaf to your clear block with snail. DO NOT use double stick tape or sticky strip.  As you can see on the two stamped leaves at the bottom of the second picture, the tape square shows through as the leaf is stamped.  You can see an example of a leaf stamped after being adhered to the block with SNAIL at the top of the second picture--no obvious square even though you can see the SNAIL through the clear block on the leaf itself.
3. Start with the largest leaft you are going to stamp for ease in placement.
4. Color your leaf with a marker getting the edges well.
5. Huff on the leaf and stamp.  I was able to stamp each one twice by again breathing warm air onto the stamp and re-stamping. After that you'll need to reink with your marker.
6. Continue stamping with the other leaves and colors.
7. Finish your card.

This card uses the Emboss Resist Technique on Kraft/Crumb Cake cardstock and is accented by Pearls, a vintage safety pin and dots of our Smooch Moonlight Accent Ink. Sorry the details are difficult to see. I enjoy the idea that my customers can use the sponges to apply ink in varied order and make it their own.

Real Leaves Buckle Card...Stampin' Addicts Fancy Fold #3 (FF3)

This card incorporates this week's Fancy Fold Technique Challenge on Stampin' Addicts...the Buckle Card as well as SACC68 last week's SA Color Challenge which was Rich Razzleberry, Cherry Cobbler, Very Vanilla, Pumpkin Pie and Daffodil Delight.  It also is a preview of next week's regular Technique Challenge which will be Stamping with Real/Fresh Leaves.  I'll have some tips on that next week, so you'll see this card again then.

There are variations of the buckle card, but my card measurements are as follows:

Pumpkin Pie Base Layer: 6-3/4 inches X 5-1/2 inches, scored at 4-1/4 on the 6-3/4 inch side

Cherry Cobbler Layer: typical 4 inches X 5-14 inches

Very Vanilla Image Layer: typical 3-3/4 X 5 inches

Daffodil Delight Belt:  1-1/2 inches X 5 inches, scored at 1 inch on the 5 inch side

To properly place the word window, simply push the punch (assuming you have the old black style punch) in as far as you can and have about 1/4 inch showing on the outside/left side of the cardstock and punch.

Pumpkin Scratch N Sniff

This card uses two techniques and was my main swap at Stampin' Up! Fort Worth Regionals.

I really enjoy the look of this Paisley Prints set. The leaves were stamped using the marker accenting technique...You simply ink up the leaf in Peach Parfait and add some Cajun Craze randomly to highlight certain paisleys.

For the pumpkin, I inked the Old Olive stem in Classic ink and the Pumpkin Pie pumpkin in Craft ink. I mixed Clear Embossing Powder with Pumpkin Pie Spice and Cloves (they are really fragrant) and heat embossed to create a scented card.

Bollywood Technique from Stampin' Up!'s Fort Worth Regionals

This technique was presented by Shannon West at Stampin' Up!'s Fort Worth Regionals on the 10th-11th. It was so striking in the original deep red (Cherry Cobbler-I think). 

Supplies
Gold Smooch Spritz
Clear Embossing Powder
Versamark
Color Catcher
Q-Tip (perhaps)
Heat Tool
1. Choose a bright color of cardstock that will contrast nicely with gold.

2. Ink your stamp with Versamark

3. Spray your Smooch Spritz onto the STAMP itself. (It is difficult to get it on both sides of the stamp and not get too much, so I dabbed just a little off with a Q-Tip to control the drips.) Be quick though it dries so fast! ( I have a little too much gold on the example-it should be gold on the edges.)

4. Stamp your Versamark and Smooch onto the cardstock.

5. Cover with Clear Embossing Powder and heat emboss.

You might also try this with substituting shimmer mist (or using the paint direct?-I didn't write that down when we were shown it) for the smooch spritz...I don't think you have to emboss afterward, but it does push the shimmer paint to the edges when you stamp it I know.

Stamp A Stack Card with Bling added

This year I am suggesting that my customers consider a pack of the rhinestone brads to add some extra sparkle to their Stamp A Stack cards.  It is a quick way to make a plain cute card even better.  I'm not sure pictures on a blog are the best way to illustrate this, so you'll just have to trust me that the bling in the center of the snowflake in the picture at the bottom balance the card with their shine in real life. :)

Kick off your boots and stamp!

I just returned from Fort Worth Regionals, and it was great fun!  Stampin' Up! provided each of us with a regionals pin that says Fort Worth 2010 and the phrase in the title above with a boot in the middle.  It is really cute, and what fun to have a memento of the day.

There were fabulous swaps, make & takes and presentations. It was such a stamping joy!

I was able to see lots of great friends and meet several online friends as well.  Here we are at Gloria's Salvadoran fusion restaurant for the Stampin' Addicts dinner:

Happily Kris (my downline-on the left if you are new) and I were able to get a picture with Shelli Gardner, SU! co-founder and CEO in which I finally don't look strange! (I've tried many times and I usually look weird. Hmmm...I look pale, but I always look pale.)

Amazing gifts from Kris (since I drove to Fort Worth)....Maybe I'll drive to Salt Lake City for next convention...wonder what cool things Kris might make for me then????? :) j/k We fly to SLC!

On the gorgeous pin, Kris didn't add the back row of flowers so that it would be a nice medium size for me. Love it!

My gift for her was just a little "old school" tea bag holder that doubled as my 3D swap...One has the Christmas saying and the other has the every day saying inside-I was able to die cut around the printed image with the scalloped clearlit die. 

I'll post more later in the week...

Christmas gift class brooch

This is the brooch and candy wrapper die we'll be making at Christmas Gift Class.  I'm glad several of you are excited about it, and I think it will be a quick and fun project that allows you to check several people (teachers, bus drivers, etc.) off of your Christmas list. I can't wait for Thanksgiving to be over so I can put mine on my jacket for the Holiday Season! (Okay, I can wait-don't want to wish my life away!)

The Joy of Sledding Stamp A Stack card

This card used Stampin' Addicts sketch challenge #62 (SASC62) and the Welcome Christmas set (with a snowflake and the holly oval from the Tags Til Christmas set) for a fun colorblocked design.

Christmas Cardinal Stamp A Stack

I love the dark, rich Cherry Cobbler tone with Stampin' Up!'s Christmas Cardinal set. I think I'll make a few of these for myself as well.

Poor unloved card...

Noone wants to make this card for Stamp A Stack...It uses the silver waffle paper and some blingy rhinestones with the Paisley Prints Christmas Tree.

Another Stamp A Stack option....

This one was most popular with the girls who came to class tonight....I love Baja Breeze!  The Welcome Christmas set lent itself to a CASE of a Season of Simple Grace card I made in 2008....Hopefully, it will be quick and fun for everyone.

Simplified MOJO154 Easy Christmas Card

Still thinking about Stamp A Stack Possibilities, I thought the Mojo Monday sketch for this week could be neat as a simplified card.  It has a lot less layers than I would normally use but is perfect for making in assembly line fashion.  Cherry Cobbler and Always Artichoke are so rich for Christmas, and the Come to Bethlehem set is perfect with them.